Smithsonian officials were summoned before the House Administration
Committee to explain a 30-year television contract with Showtime
Networks. The 170-page deal created an
on-demand cable station that will feature Smithsonian programs and collections.
The deal gives the new network the right of first refusal on commercial
documentaries that “rely significantly” on the museum's archives, curators or
scientists. The Smithsonian said, however, that researchers and scholars will
continue to have access to the archives and other Smithsonian resources. But
commercial filmmakers can make only "incidental" use of the
materials unless they are working with Showtime or get special approval.

The main objection to the deal is that the resources of the Smithsonian are being made exclusively available to Showtime. However, Smithsonian officials responded that only
a very small number of filmmakers would be affected, and that, of the 900 media
contracts signed between 2000 and 2005, only 17 had more than an incidental use
of Smithsonian resources.

Objections also aimed at the secrecy of the deal and the 30-year duration of
the contract. The contract was never
made public and had been kept in secrecy due to a confidentiality agreement,
but the Smithsonian handed it over to the Committee yesterday.

As a sign of Congress' disapproval, the Committee reduced the proposed Smithsonian budget by $20 million. The secretary of the Smithsonian apologized “for
the tremendous hullabaloo” the deal had caused Congress. He
added: “If we have even an idea we will come to [the Committee].”